The robbers took cash, rare coins and ultimately Mr. Kumra’s life; he died at the scene, suffocated by the packaging tape used to stifle his screams. A forensics team found DNA on his fingernails that belonged to an unknown person, presumably one of the assailants. The sample was put into a DNA database and turned up a “hit” — a local man by the name of Lukis Anderson.
Bingo. Mr. Anderson was arrested and charged with murder.
There was one small problem: the 26-year-old Mr. Anderson couldn't have been the culprit. During the night in question, he was at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, suffering from severe intoxication.
High-Tech, High-Risk Forensics
Op-Ed by OSAGIE K. OBASOGIE
Published: July 24, 2013